Kenya Travel Guide

Kenya travel guide

Kenya is a great destination offering the most various landscapes you can think of, from the famous game reserves to the sublime Kenya Mountains and the paradisiacal white sandy beaches. If you want a relaxing or adventurous vacation Kenya is the place to go.

Kenya travel guide – Geography

Located in Eastern Africa with access to the Indian Ocean, Kenya is an offering holiday destination. On land it has borders with five different countries and the Indian Ocean, and its main landscapes are given by the central Great Rift Valley, Lake Victoria, Mount Kenya and the Indian Ocean coast. With such tourist attractions Kenya is one of the most visited African countries both by people in search of a relaxing and of adventurous vacations.

Kenya has the best climate in the entire Africa, with comfortable temperatures during the day in many areas. Climate varies together with location and height as follows: the inland areas are dry and hot almost devoid of rainfall throughout the year; the coastal areas have a tropical climate with high temperatures and rainfalls the entire year. The highest peaks (Mt. Kenya 5199m) have a cooler climate and sometimes snow occurs.

Kenya has been occupied throughout the centuries by many different countries. These lands were initially colonized by the Arabs, occupied by the Bantu African people, then in the XVI century the Portuguese took over until the XIX century when the country became a British colony. They became independent only in 1963.

Kenya travel guide – Flora and Fauna

The characteristics of the flora are determined by geography and climate and as a consequence the tropical rainforests areas are still present in small areas near Lake Victoria and Mount Kenya with species of conifers and Mediterranean cedars, the famous African savannah makes the transition between rainforests and the dry, arid areas with species of gramineae and acacia. The coastal area due to its wonderful climate is the perfect place for exuberant tropical vegetation. Small areas of rain forest are mixed with the mangroves and coconut palm trees, creating a paradisiacal landscape.

Fauna is just as generous and is protected through many natural reserves like Arawale National Reserve, Buffalo Springs Natural Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Reserve, Masai Mara Natural Reserve and many more. Species present here are the baboons, African buffalos, jackals, zebras, elephants, rhinos along with many species of birds and snakes.

Kenya travel guide – Tips for Tourists

Kenya is a perfect destination if you want to experience a safari in the savannah or relax on a white sand beach surrounded by palm trees. It can also be a cultural experience if you decide to visit the Masai tribes, famous all around the world for their traditions kept throughout the years.

Before leaving, you must know that the currency is the Kenyan Shilling and the best way to bring money with you is the traveling checks. You should also check with the Kenyan Embassy if you need a visa to enter the country and other details. Another important issue connected to traveling here is immunization; you must protect yourself against the danger of contacting an infectious disease. You must contact your physician before the departure in order to decide on the required immunization and more suggestions for a safe journey.

Kenya travel guide – Transport

Kenya has one of the best transport infrastructures in Africa and still from 63265 km of roads only 8933 kms are paved. Also important in international and national transport are the airlines operating here, the railways, and boat companies. The two largest airports here are the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa connecting Kenya with the rest of the world. The best airline company in Kenya is Kenya Airways. The main ports are Kisumu on Lake Victoria and Mombasa serving the Indian Ocean.

The public transport system is represented by the matatus which are minibuses, buses, trains and regional air travel.

Kenya travel guide – Resorts

Kenya is a heaven for the safari lovers. There are so many options at any travel agency connected to this activity that it is impossible not to find something suitable. You can choose from the classic safaris, camping safaris, and luxury tented safaris or you can also have a breathtaking safari from a balloon in order to observe the great migration of the animals from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania. Still we must not overlook the exotic resorts from the Indian Ocean coast offering all kinds of water activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and many more.

In matter of accommodation one can choose a very luxurious resort for its facilities and services or a less luxurious one but with a great location and wonderful atmosphere. For a relaxing vacation on the beach a representing resort would be the Peponi Hotel offering traditional beautifully decorated rooms with a private bathroom, verandah with a splendid view over the ocean and great seafood cuisine.

For a business trip you can choose the Norfolk Hotel with stylish well equipped rooms, piano bar, spa center and internet access. If you decide to have a holiday in nature then Samburu Intrepids Camp is the perfect place. Located in the Samburu Natioal Reserve the camp looks over Uaso Nyiro River, the place where elephants, zebras and other animals come daily to drink. You can also enjoy watching traditional dances, drives in the reservation to see more of the wildlife and many more captivating activities.

Kenya travel guide – Cuisine

The Kenya Cuisine has rather simple dishes also due to the fact that a significant part of the population lives in poor rural areas. Some authentic Kenyan dishes are the Ugali, similar to polenta, made of corn or maize flour and eaten with meat and vegetables, Githeri is corn and beans boiled together and served as a stew, Nyama Choma is grilled meat, usually beef, lamb or goat an many more.

Due to the fact that tourism represents an important income for Kenyans you will find more European and international cuisine in most of the restaurants. In order to have the chance to taste some of the local dishes you will have to try in more than one place to find this kind of treat.

If you are not sure yet about choosing this destination, think about the unique landscape of the savannah, the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, captivating trips in any of the natural reserves and the solemn snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya, they are all rare experiences found only here in Kenya.